Eobe  betters 

of 

Ifytnvp  Wiiii 

to 

Slnne  Bolepn 


3lobn  m.  Huce  &  Company 
16o0ton  ; 


COPYRIGHT,  1906,  BY  JOHN  W.  LUCE  &  COMPANY 


D.  B.  UPDIKE,  THE  MERRYMOUNT  PRESS,  BOSTON 


Cable  of  Contents 


Letter  First  i 

Letter  Second  iv 

Letter  Third  v 

Letter  Fourth  vii 

Letter  Fifth  x 

Letter  Sixth  xiii 

Letter  Seventh  xvi 
Letter  Eighth  [Anne  Boleyn  to  Wolsey]  xviii 

Postscript  [by  Henry  VIII]  xx 

Letter  Ninth  xxii 

Letter  Tenth  xxv 

Letter  Eleventh  xxviii 

Letter  Twelfth  xxx 

Letter  Thirteenth  xxxiv 

Letter  Fourteenth  xxxvii 

Letter  Fifteenth  xxxix 

Letter  Sixteenth  xli 

Letter  Seventeenth  xliii 

Letter  Eighteenth  xlv 

Notes  li 


lotie  Letters  of  J£)enrp 

to 
3nne  Xolepn 


Letter 
Co  anne  I3olei?n 


N  turning  over  in  my 
mind  the  contents  of 
your  last  letters,  I  have 
put  myself  into  great 
agony,  not  knowing  how  to  interpret 
them,  whether  to  my  disadvantage, 
as  you  show  in  some  places,  or  to  my 
advantage,  as  I  understand  them  in 
some  others,  beseeching  you  earnestly 
to  let  me  know  expressly  your  whole 
mind  as  to  the  love  between  us  two. 


Lotoe  Letters  of  J^enrp 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  for  me  to 
obtain  this  answer,  having  been  for 
above  a  whole  year  stricken  with  the 
dart  of  love,  and  not  yet  sure  whether 
I  shall  fail  of  finding  a  place  in  your 
heart  and  affection,  which  last  point 
has  prevented  me  for  some  time  past 
from  calling  you  my  mistress;  be- 
cause, if  you  only  love  me  with  an 
ordinary  love,  that  name  is  not  suit- 
able for  you,  because  it  denotes  a  sin- 
gular love,  which  is  far  from  com- 
mon. But  if  you  please  to  do  the  office 
of  a  true  loyal  mistress  and  friend,  and 
to  give  up  yourself  body  and  heart  to 
me,  who  will  be,  and  have  been,  your 
most  loyal  servant,  (if  your  rigour 
does  not  forbid  me)  I  promise  you 
that  not  only  the  name  shall  be  given 


ilotoe  letters  of  J£>enrp 

you,  but  also  that  I  will  take  you 
for  my  only  mistress,  casting  off  all 
others  besides  you  out  of  my  thoughts 
and  affections,  and  serve  you  only.  I 
beseech  you  to  give  an  entire  answer 
to  this  my  rude  letter,  that  I  may 
know  on  what  and  how  far  I  may 
depend.  And  if  it  does  not  please 
you  to  answer  me  in  writing,  appoint 
some  place  where  I  may  have  it  by 
word  of  mouth,  and  I  will  go  thither 
with  all  my  heart.  No  more,  for  fear 
of  tiring  you.  Written  by  the  hand 
of  him  who  would  willingly  remain 
yours,  H.  R. 


[in] 


letter 
Co  anne 


THOUGH  it  is  not  fitting  for  a 
gentleman  to  take  his  lady  in 
the  place  of  a  servant,  yet,  complying 
with  your  desire,  I  willingly  grant  it 
you,  if  thereby  you  can  find  yourself 
less  uncomfortable  in  the  place  chosen 
by  yourself,  than  you  have  been  in 
that  which  I  gave  you,  thanking  you 
cordially  that  you  are  pleased  still  to 
have  some  remembrance  of  me.  6.  n. 
A.  i  de  A.  o.  na.  v.  e.  z. 

HENRY  R. 


[to] 


Letter  CiritD 
Co  anne  I3olern 


A /THOUGH,  my  Mistress,  it 
has  not  pleased  you  to  remem- 
ber the  promise  you  made  me  when  I 
was  last  with  you  —  that  is,  to  hear 
good  news  from  you,  and  to  have  an 
answer  to  my  last  letter;  yet  it  seems 
to  me  that  it  belongs  to  a  true  servant 
(seeing  that  otherwise  he  can  know 
nothing)  to  inquire  the  health  of  his 
mistress,  and  to  acquit  myself  of  the 
duty  of  a  true  servant,  I  send  you  this 
letter,  beseeching  you  to  apprise  me 
of  your  welfare,  which  I  pray  to  God 
may  continue  as  long  as  I  desire  mine 


Lotoe  letters  of  IE>enrp  <£i 

own.  And  to  cause  you  yet  oftener 
to  remember  me,  I  send  you,  by  the 
bearer  of  this,  a  buck  killed  late  last 
night  by  my  own  hand,  hoping  that 
when  you  eat  of  it  you  may  think  of 
the  hunter;  and  thus,  for  want  of 
room,  I  must  end  my  letter,  written 
by  the  hand  of  your  servant,whovery 
often  wishes  for  you  instead  of  your 
brother.  H.  R. 


Letter  jFouttfi 
Co  3nne 


my  heart  and  I  surrender  our- 
selves into  your  hands,  beseeching 
you  to  hold  us  commended  to  your 
favour,  and  that  by  absence  your  af- 
feclion  to  us  may  not  be  lessened: 
for  it  were  a  great  pity  to  increase 
our  pain,  of  which  absence  produces 
enough  and  more  than  I  could  ever 
have  thought  could  be  felt,  remind- 
ing us  of  a  point  in  astronomy  which 
is  this:  the  longer  the  days  are,  the 
more  distant  is  the  sun,  and  never- 
theless the  hotter;  so  is  it  with  our 


£ot)e  Letters  of  IJ>enrp  OEi 

love,  for  by  absence  we  are  kept  a 
distance  from  one  another,  and  yet 
it  retains  its  fervour,  at  least  on  my 
side;  I  hope  the  like  on  yours,  as- 
suring you  that  on  my  part  the  pain 
of  absence  is  already  too  great  for 
me;  and  when  I  think  of  the  increase 
of  that  which  I  am  forced  to  suffer, 
it  would  be  almost  intolerable,  but 
for  the  firm  hope  I  have  of  your  un- 
changeable affection  for  me:  and  to 
remind  you  of  this  sometimes,  and 
seeing  that  I  cannot  be  personally 
present  with  you,  I  now  send  you  the 
nearest  thing  I  can  to  that,  namely, 
my  piclure  set  in  a  bracelet,  with  the 
whole  of  the  device,  which  you  al- 
ready know,  wishing  myself  in  their 
place,  if  it  should  please  you.  This  is 


lotoe  Letter0  of 


from  the  hand  of  your  loyal  servant 

and  friend, 

H.  R. 


[tt] 


Letter  jfiftb 
Co 


FOR  a  present  so  beautiful  that 
nothing  could  be  more  so  (con- 
sidering the  whole  of  it),  I  thank  you 
most  cordially,  not  only  on  account 
of  the  fine  diamond  and  the  ship  in 
which  the  solitary  damsel  is  tossed 
about,  but  chiefly  for  the  fine  inter- 
pretation and  the  too  humble  sub- 
mission which  your  goodness  hath 
used  towards  me  in  this  case;  for  I 
think  it  would  be  very  difficult  for 
me  to  find  an  occasion  to  deserve  it, 
if  I  were  not  assisted  by  your  great 
humanity  and  favour,  which  I  have 

[r] 


Lotie  letters  of 


always  sought  to  seek,  and  will  seek 
to  preserve  by  all  the  kindness  in  my 
power,  in  which  my  hope  has  placed 
its  unchangeable  intention,  which 
says,  Aut  illic^  aut  nullibi. 

The  demonstrations  of  your  affec- 
tion are  such,  the  beautiful  mottoes 
of  the  letter  so  cordially  expressed, 
that  they  oblige  me  for  ever  to  hon- 
our, love,  and  serve  you  sincerely,  be- 
seeching you  to  continue  in  the  same 
firm  and  constant  purpose,  assuring 
you  that,  on  my  part,  I  will  surpass 
it  rather  than  make  it  reciprocal,  if 
loyalty  of  heart  and  a  desire  to  please 
you  can  accomplish  this. 

I  beg,  also,  if  at  any  time  before  this 
I  have  in  anyway  offended  you,  that 
you  would  give  me  the  same  abso- 

cm 


Lotoe  Letters  of  ij>enrp  (ZEi 

lution  that  you  ask,  assuring  you,  that 
henceforward  my  heart  shall  be  de- 
dicated to  you  alone.  I  wish  my  per- 
son was  so  too.  God  can  do  it,  if  He 
pleases,  to  whom  I  pray  every  day  for 
that  end,  hoping  that  at  length  my 
prayers  will  be  heard.  I  wish  the  time 
may  be  short,  but  I  shall  think  it 
long  till  we  see  one  another. 

Written  by  the  hand  of  that  secre- 
tary, who  in  heart,  body,  and  will,  is, 
Your  loyal  and  most  assured  Servant, 

XI .  aultre  IA.BJ  ne  chersc  S\. . 


Letter 
Co  £nne 


TO  ^MT  ^MIST^SSS.  Because 
the  time  seems  very  long  since 
I  heard  concerning  your  health  and 
you,  the  great  affection  I  have  for 
you  has  induced  me  to  send  you  this 
bearer,  to  be  better  informed  of  your 
health  and  pleasure,  and  because, 
since  my  parting  from  you,  I  have 
been  told  that  the  opinion  in  which 
I  left  you  is  totally  changed,  and  that 
you  would  not  come  to  court  either 
with  your  mother,  if  you  could,  or  in 
any  other  manner;  which  report,  if 
true,  I  cannot  sufficiently  marvel  at, 


JLotie  Letters  of  ^enrp 

because  I  am  sure  that  I  have  since 
never  done  any  thing  to  offend  you, 
and  it  seems  a  very  poor  return  for  the 
great  love  which  I  bear  you  to  keep 
me  at  a  distance  both  from  the  speech 
and  the  person  of  the  woman  that  I 
esteem  most  in  the  world:  and  if  you 
love  me  with  as  much  affection  as  I 
hope  you  do,  I  am  sure  that  the  dis- 
tance of  our  two  persons  would  be 
a  little  irksome  to  you,  though  this 
does  not  belong  so  much  to  the  mis- 
tress as  to  the  servant. 

Consider  well,  my  mistress,  that 
absence  from  you  grieves  me  sorely, 
hoping  that  it  is  not  your  will  that 
it  should  be  so;  but  if  I  knew  for  cer- 
tain that  you  voluntarily  desired  it, 
I  could  do  no  other  than  mourn  my 


to  ] 


lotoe  Letters  of  5>enrp 

ill-fortune,  and  by  degrees  abate  my 
great  folly.  And  so,  for  lack  of  time, 
I  make  an  end  of  this  rude  letter,  be- 
seeching you  to  give  credence  to  this 
bearer  in  all  that  he  will  tell  you 
from  me. 

Written  by  the  hand  of  your  en- 
tire Servant, 

H.  R. 


letter 
Co 


DA^LI^ff,  these  shall  be 
only  to  advertise  you  that  this 
bearer  and  his  fellow  be  despatched 
with  as  many  things  to  compass  our 
matter,  and  to  bring  it  to  pass  as  our 
wits  could  imagine  or  devise;  which 
brought  to  pass,  as  I  trust,  by  their 
diligence,  it  shall  be  shortly,  you  and 
I  shall  have  our  desired  end,  which 
should  be  more  to  my  heart's  ease, 
and  more  quietness  to  my  mind,  than 
any  other  thing  in  the  world;  as,  with 
God's  grace,  shortly  I  trust  shall  be 
proved,  but  not  so  soon  as  I  would 


letters  of  Jpenrp 


it  were;  yet  I  will  ensure  you  that 
there  shall  be  no  time  lost  that  may 
be  won,  and  further  can  not  be  done; 
for  ultra  posse  non  est  esse.  Keep  him 
not  too  long  with  you,  but  desire 
him,  for  your  sake,  to  make  the  more 
speed;  for  the  sooner  we  shall  have 
word  from  him,  the  sooner  shall  our 
matter  come  to  pass.  And  thus  upon 
trust  of  your  short  repair  to  London, 
I  make  an  end  of  my  letter,  my  own 
sweet  heart. 

Written  with  the  hand  of  him 
which  desireth  as  much  to  be  yours 
as  you  do  to  have  him. 

H.  R. 


[  rtui  ] 


Letter  <£ig;btf) 
anne  I3oleim  to 


Mr  LO^D,  in  my  most  hum- 
blest wise  that  my  heart  can 
think,  I  desire  you  to  pardon  me  that 
I  am  so  bold  to  trouble  you  with  my 
simple  and  rude  writing,  esteeming  it 
to  proceed  from  her  that  is  much  de- 
sirous to  know  that  your  grace  does 
well,  as  I  perceive  by  this  bearer  that 
you  do,  the  which  I  pray  God  long  to 
continue,  as  I  am  most  bound  to  pray  ; 
for  I  do  know  the  great  pains  and  trou- 
bles that  you  have  taken  for  me  both 
day  and  night  is  never  likely  to  be 
recompensed  on  my  part,  but  alonely 

[  rtmi  ] 


lotoe  Letters  of  Ipenrp  <£ 

in  loving  you,  next  unto  the  king's 
grace,  above  all  creatures  living.  And 
I  do  not  doubt  but  the  daily  proofs 
of  my  deeds  shall  manifestly  declare 
and  affirm  my  writing  to  be  true,  and 
I  do  trust  you  do  think  the  same. 

My  lord,  I  do  assure  you,  I  do  long 
to  hear  from  you  news  of  the  legate; 
for  I  do  hope,  as  they  come  from  you, 
they  shall  be  very  good;  and  I  am 
sure  you  desire  it  as  much  as  I,  and 
more,  an  it  were  possible;  as  I  know 
it  is  not:  and  thus  remaining  in  a 
steadfast  hope,  I  make  an  end  of  my 
letter. 

Written  with  the  hand  of  her  that 
is  most  bound  to  be 

Your  humble  Servant, 

ANNE  BOLEYN. 

[  rir  ] 


Dili 


THE  writer  of  this  letter  would 
not  cease,  till  she  had  caused 
me  likewise  to  set  my  hand,  desiring 
you,  though  it  be  short,  to  take  it  in 
good  part.  I  ensure  you  that  there  is 
neither  of  us  but  greatly  desireth  to 
see  you,  and  are  joyous  to  hear  that 
you  have  escaped  this  plague  so  well, 
trusting  the  fury  thereof  to  be  passed, 
especially  with  them  that  keepeth 
good  diet,  as  I  trust  you  do.  The  not 
hearing  of  the  legate's  arrival  in 
France  causeth  us  somewhat  to  muse ; 
notwithstanding,  we  trust,  by  your 


Lotie  Letters  of  ?)entp  SEi 

diligence  and  vigilancy  (with  the  as- 
sistance of  Almighty  God),  shortly 
to  be  eased  out  of  that  trouble.  No 
more  to  you  at  this  time,  but  that  I 
pray  God  send  you  as  good  health 
and  prosperity  as  the  writer  would. 
By  your  loving  Sovereign  and 

Friend, 

H.  R. 


Letter 
Co  anne 


THERE  came  to  me  suddenly 
in  the  night  the  most  afflift- 
ing  news  that  could  have  arrived. 
The  first,  to  hear  of  the  sickness  of 
my  mistress,  whom  I  esteem  more 
than  all  the  world,  and  whose  health 
I  desire  as  I  do  my  own,  so  that  I 
would  gladly  bear  half  your  illness  to 
make  you  well.  The  second,  from  the 
fear  that  I  have  of  being  still  longer 
harassed  by  my  enemy,  Absence, 
much  longer,  who  has  hitherto  given 
me  all  possible  uneasiness,  and  as  far 
as  I  can  judge  is  determined  to  spite 

[  rrii  ] 


letters  of  l£>enrp  (ZEi 


me  more  because  I  pray  God  to  rid 
me  of  this  troublesome  tormentor. 
The  third,  because  the  physician  in 
whom  I  have  most  confidence,  is  ab- 
sent at  the  very  time  when  he  might 
do  me  the  greatest  pleasure;  for  I 
should  hope,  by  him  and  his  means, 
to  obtain  one  of  my  chief  joys  on 
earth  —  that  is  the  care  of  my  mis- 
tress —  yet  for  want  of  him  I  send  you 
my  second,  and  hope  that  he  will 
soon  make  you  well.  I  shall  then  love 
him  more  than  ever.  I  beseech  you 
to  be  guided  by  his  advice  in  your 
illness.  In  so  doing  I  hope  soon  to  see 
you  again,  which  will  be  to  me  a 
greater  comfort  than  all  the  precious 
jewels  in  the  world. 
Written  by  that  secretary,  who  is, 

[  ttiii  ] 


lotie  Letters  of  5>enrp  €ig;f)tb 

and  for  ever  will  be,  your  loyal  and 
most  assured  Servant, 

H.  (AB)  R. 


[  rrto  ] 


Letter  Centb 
Co 


THE  uneasiness  my  doubts  about 
your  health  gave  me,  disturbed 
and  alarmed  me  exceedingly,  and  I 
should  not  have  had  any  quiet  with- 
out hearing  certain  tidings.  But  now, 
since  you  have  as  yet  felt  nothing,  I 
hope,  and  am  assured  that  it  will  spare 
you,  as  I  hope  it  is  doing  with  us.  For 
when  we  were  at  Walton,  two  ush- 
ers, two  valets  de  chambres  and  your 
brother,  master-treasurer,  fell  ill,  but 
are  now  quite  well ;  and  since  we  have 
returned  to  our  house  at  Hunsdon, 
we  have  been  perfectly  well,  and  have 

[  rrto  ] 


lotie  Letters  of  g)enrp 

not,  at  present,  one  sick  person,  God 
be  praised;  and  I  think,  if  you  would 
retire  from  Surrey,  as  we  did,  you 
would  escape  all  danger.  There  is 
another  thing  that  may  comfort  you, 
which  is,  that,  in  truth  in  this  dis- 
temper few  or  no  women  have  been 
taken  ill,  and  what  is  more,  no  per- 
son of  our  court,  and  few  elsewhere, 
have  died  of  it.  For  which  reason  I 
beg  you,  my  entirely  beloved,  not  to 
frighten  yourself  nor  be  too  uneasy  at 
our  absence;  for  wherever  I  am,  I  am 
yours,  and  yet  we  must  sometimes 
submit  to  our  misfortunes,  for  who- 
ever will  struggle  against  fate  is  gen- 
erally but  so  much  the  farther  from 
gaining  his  end:  wherefore  comfort 
yourself,  and  take  courage  and  avoid 


Lcnoe  Letters  of  ^entp  OBi 


the  pestilence  as  much  as  you  can, 
for  I  hope  shortly  to  make  you  sing, 
la  renvoye.  No  more  at  present,  from 
lack  of  time,  but  that  I  wish  you  in 
my  arms,  that  I  might  a  little  dispel 
your  unreasonable  thoughts. 

Written  by  the  hand  of  him  who 
is  and  alway  will  be  yours, 

Im-  XJ.  .    £\.  .  -mutable. 


letter 
Co 


THE  cause  of  my  writing  at  this 
time,  good  sweetheart,  is  only 
to  understand  of  your  good  health 
and  prosperity;  whereof  to  know  I 
would  be  as  glad  as  in  manner  mine 
own,  praying  God  that  (an  it  be  His 
pleasure)  to  send  us  shortly  together, 
for  I  promise  you  I  long  for  it.  How 
be  it,  I  trust  it  shall  not  be  long  to; 
and  seeing  my  darling  is  absent,  I  can 
do  no  less  than  to  send  her  some  flesh, 
representing  my  name,  which  is  hart 
flesh  for  Henry,  prognosticating  that 
hereafter,  God  willing,  you  may  en- 


[  rrtmi  ] 


Lotoe  Letters  of  Denrp  oEt 

joy  some  of  mine,  which  He  pleased, 
I  would  were  now. 

As  touching  your  sister's  matter,  I 
have  caused  Walter  Welze  to  write 
to  my  lord  my  mind  therein,  whereby 
I  trust  that  Eve  shall  not  have  power 
to  deceive  Adam;  for  surely,  whatso- 
ever is  said,  it  cannot  so  stand  with  his 
honour  but  that  he  must  needs  take 
her,  his  natural  daughter,  now  in  her 
extreme  necessity. 

No  more  to  you  at  this  time,  mine 
own  darling,  but  that  with  a  wish  I 
would  we  were  together  an  evening. 

With  the  hand  of  yours, 

H.  R. 


[  rrir  ] 


letter  Ctoeiftb 
Co 


SINCE  your  last  letters,  mine  own 
darling,  Walter  Welshe,  Master 
Browne,  Thos.  Care,  Grion  of  Brear- 
ton,  and  John  Coke,  the  apothecary, 
be  fallen  of  the  sweat  in  this  house, 
and,  thanked  be  God,  all  well  recov- 
ered, so  that  as  yet  the  plague  is  not 
fully  ceased  here,  but  I  trust  shortly 
it  shall.  By  the  mercy  of  God,  the  rest 
of  us  yet  be  well,  and  I  trust  shall 
pass  it,  either  not  to  have  it,  or,  at  the 
least,  as  easily  as  the  rest  have  done. 
As  touching  the  matter  of  Wilton, 
my  lord  cardinal  hath  had  the  nuns 

[  rrr  ] 


Letters  of  5>enrp  OEi 


before  him,  and  examined  them,  Mr. 
Bell  being  present  ;  which  hath  certi- 
fied me  that,  for  a  truth,  she  had  con- 
fessed herself  (which  we  would  have 
had  abbess)  to  have  had  two  children 
by  two  sundry  priests;  and,  further, 
since  hath  been  kept  by  a  servant  of 
the  Lord  Broke  that  was,  and  that  not 
long  ago.  Wherefore  I  would  not,  for 
all  the  gold  in  the  world,  clog  your 
conscience  nor  mine  to  make  her  ruler 
of  a  house  which  is  of  so  ungodly  de- 
meanour; nor,  I  trust,  you  would  not 
that  neither  for  brother  nor  sister,  I 
should  so  destain  mine  honour  or  con- 
science. And,  as  touching  the  prior- 
ess, or  Dame  Eleanor's  eldest  sister, 
though  there  is  not  any  evident  case 
proved  against  them,  and  that  the 

[  rrrt  ] 


JLotie  Letters  of 


prioress  is  so  old  that  for  many  years 
she  could  not  be  as  she  was  named; 
yet  notwithstanding,  to  do  you  plea- 
sure,! have  done  that  neither  of  them 
shall  have  it,  but  that  some  other 
good  and  well-disposed  woman  shall 
have  it,  whereby  the  house  shall  be 
the  better  reformed  (whereof  I  en- 
sure you  it  had  much  need)  ,  and  God 
much  the  better  served. 

As  touching  your  abode  at  Hever, 
do  therein  as  best  shall  like  you,  for 
you  best  know  what  air  doth  best  with 
you;  but  I  would  it  were  come  there- 
to (if  it  pleased  God),  that  neither  of 
us  need  care  for  that,  for  I  ensure  you 
I  think  it  long.  Suche  is  fallen  sick 
of  the  sweat,  and  therefore  I  send  you 
this  bearer,  because  I  think  you  long 

[  rrrii  ] 


ILotoe  Letters  of  l^enrp  OEigbtb 

to  hear  tidings  from  us,  as  we  do  like- 
wise from  you. 

Written  with  the  hand  de  votre  seu/, 

H.  R. 


[  rrrni  ] 


letter  Clrirteentl) 
Co 


THE  approach  of  the  time  for 
which  I  have  so  long  waited 
rejoices  me  so  much,  that  it  seems 
almost  to  have  come  already.  How- 
ever, the  entire  accomplishment  can- 
not be  till  the  two  persons  meet, 
which  meeting  is  more  desired  by 
me  than  anything  in  this  world;  for 
what  joy  can  be  greater  upon  earth 
than  to  have  the  company  of  her  who 
is  dearest  to  me,  knowing  likewise 
that  she  does  the  same  on  her  part, 
the  thought  of  which  gives  me  the 
greatest  pleasure. 

[  rrritJ  ] 


lotoe  letters  of 


Judge  what  an  effect  the  presence  of 
that  person  must  have  on  me,  whose 
absence  has  grieved  my  heart  more 
than  either  words  or  writing  can  ex- 
press, and  which  nothing  can  cure, 
but  that  beggingyou,my  mistress,  to 
tell  your  father  from  me,  that  I  de- 
sire him  to  hasten  the  time  appointed 
by  two  days,  that  he  may  be  at  court 
before  the  old  term,  or,  at  farthest,  on 
the  day  prefixed  ;  for  otherwise  I  shall 
think  he  will  not  do  the  lover's  turn, 
as  he  said  he  would,  nor  answer  my 
expectation. 

No  more  at  present  for  lack  of 
time,  hoping  shortly  that  byword  of 
mouth  I  shall  tell  you  the  rest  of  the 
sufferings  endured  by  me  from  your 
absence. 

[  rrrto  ] 


Lotoe  letters  of  ^)entp  dgfttb 

Written  by  the  hand  of  the  secre- 
tary, who  wishes  himself  at  this  mo- 
ment privately  with  you,  and  who  is, 
and  always  will  be, 
Your  loyal  and  most  assured  Servant, 

H  .  no  other  A    B  seek  R . 


[  rmri  ] 


Letter  jTourteentb 
Co  anne  I3olei?n 


DA^LI^dg,  I  heartily  recom- 
mend me  to  you,  ascertaining 
you  that  I  am  not  a  little  perplexed 
with  such  things  as  your  brother 
shall  on  my  part  declare  unto  you, 
to  whom  I  pray  you  give  full  cre- 
dence, for  it  were  too  long  to  write. 
In  my  last  letters  I  writ  to  you  that 
I  trusted  shortly  to  see  you,  which 
is  better  known  at  London  than  with 
any  that  is  about  me,  whereof  I  not 
a  little  marvel;  but  lack  of  discreet 
handling  must  needs  be  the  cause 
thereof.  No  more  to  you  at  this  time, 

[  rrrtm  ] 


lotoe  letters  of  J£)enrp 

but  that  I  trust  shortly  our  meetings 
shall  not  depend  upon  other  men's 
light  handlings,  but  upon  our  own. 
Written  with  the  hand  of  him  that 

longeth  to  be  yours. 

H.  R. 


[  rrttriu  ] 


Letter  jfifteentb 
Co  anne  I3ole?tt 


Mi&CE  own 
this  shall  be  to  advertise  you 
of  the  great  elengeness  that  I  find  here 
since  your  departing ;  for,  I  ensure  you 
methinketh  the  time  longer  since 
your  departing  now  last,  than  I  was 
wont  to  do  a  whole  fortnight.  I  think 
your  kindness  and  my  fervency  of  love 
causeth  it;  for,  otherwise,  I  would  not 
have  thought  it  possible  that  for  so 
little  awhile  it  should  have  grieved 
me.  But  now  that  I  am  coming  to- 
wards you,  methinketh  my  pains  be 
half  removed ;  and  also  I  am  right  well 

[  rrrir  ] 


Lotoe  letters  of  5>enrp  Oft 


comforted  in  so  much  that  my  book 
maketh  substantially  for  my  matter; 
in  looking  whereof  I  have  spent  above 
four  hours  this  day,  which  causeth  me 
now  to  write  the  shorter  letter  to  you 
at  this  time,  because  of  some  pain  in 
my  head;  wishing  myself  (especially 
an  evening)  in  my  sweetheart's  arms, 
whose  pretty  dukkys  I  trust  shortly 
to  kiss. 

Written  by  the  hand  of  him  that 
was,  is,  and  shall  be  yours  by  his  own 

will, 

H.  R. 


[rl] 


Letter 
Co  anne  I3ole?n 


DA1(LI3^G,  Though  I  have 
scant  leisure,  yet,  remember- 
ing my  promise,  I  thought  it  con- 
venient to  certify  you  briefly  in  what 
case  our  affairs  stand.  As  touching 
a  lodging  for  you,  we  have  got  one 
by  my  lord  cardinal's  means,  the  like 
whereof  could  not  have  been  found 
hereabouts  for  all  causes,  as  this  bearer 
shall  more  show  you.  As  touching  our 
other  affairs,  I  assure  you  there  can 
be  no  more  done,  nor  more  diligence 
used,  nor  all  manner  of  dangers  bet- 
ter both  foreseen  and  provided  for,  so 

[rli] 


Letters  of  IE>emp 


that  I  trust  it  shall  be  hereafter  to  both 
our  comforts,  the  specialities  whereof 
were  both  too  long  to  be  written,  and 
hardly  by  messenger  to  be  declared. 
Wherefore,  till  you  repair  hither,  I 
keep  something  in  store,  trusting  it 
shall  not  be  long  to  ;  for  I  have  caused 
my  lord,  your  father,  to  make  his  pro- 
visions with  speed;  and  thus  for  lack 
of  time,  darling,  I  make  an  end  of  my 
letter,  written  with  the  hand  of  him 
which  I  would  were  yours. 

H.  R. 


[  rlii  ] 


Letter  ^etienteenti) 
Co  anne 


THE  reasonable  request  of  your 
last  letter,  with  the  pleasure  also 
that  I  take  to  know  them  true,  caus- 
eth  me  to  send  you  these  news.  The 
legate  which  we  most  desire  arrived 
at  Paris  on  Sunday  or  Monday  last 
past,  so  that  I  trust  by  the  next  Mon- 
day to  hear  of  his  arrival  at  Calais: 
and  then  I  trust  within  a  while  after 
to  enjoy  that  which  I  have  so  long 
longed  for,  to  God's  pleasure  and  our 
both  comforts. 

No  more  to  you  at  this  present, 
mine  own  darling,  for  lack  of  time, 

[  rliii  ] 


Letters  of  J^enrp  OEi 


but  that  I  would  you  were  in  mine 
arms,  or  I  in  yours,  for  I  think  it  long 
since  I  kissed  you. 

Written  after  the  killing  of  a  hart, 
at  eleven  of  the  clock,  minding,  with 
God's  grace,  to-morrow,  mightily 
timely,  to  kill  another,  by  the  hand 
which,  I  trust,  shortly  shall  be  yours. 

HENRY  R. 


[  rtfo  ] 


TO  inform  you  what  joy  it  is  to 
me  to  understand  of  your  con- 
formableness with  reason,  and  of  the 
suppressing  of  your  inutile  and  vain 
thoughts  with  the  bridle  of  reason.  I 
assure  you  all  the  good  in  this  world 
could  not  counterpoise  for  my  satis- 
faction the  knowledge  and  certainty 
thereof,  wherefore,  good  sweetheart, 
continue  the  same,  not  only  in  this, 
but  in  all  your  doings  hereafter;  for 
thereby  shall  come,  both  to  you  and 
me,  the  greatest  quietness  that  may 
be  in  this  world. 

[Wo] 


Lotoe  letters  of  Ij)enrp 

The  cause  why  the  bearer  stays  so 
long,  is  the  business  I  have  had  to 
dress  up  gear  for  you;  and  which  I 
trust,  ere  long  to  cause  you  occupy: 
then  I  trust  to  occupy  yours,  which 
shall  be  recompense  enough  to  me 
for  all  my  pains  and  labour. 

The  unfeigned  sickness  of  this  well- 
willing  legate  doth  somewhat  retard 
his  access  to  your  person;  but  I  trust 
verily,  when  God  shall  send  him 
health,  he  will  with  diligence  recom- 
pense his  demur.  For  I  know  well 
where  he  hath  said  (touching  the  say- 
ing and  bruit  that  he  is  thought  im- 
perial) that  it  shall  be  well  known  in 
this  matter  that  he  is  not  imperial; 
and  thus,  for  lack  of  time,  sweetheart, 
farewell. 

[  rttn] 


JUfoe  Letters  of  g>entp 

Written  with  the  hand  which  fain 
would  be  yours,  and  so  is  the  heart. 

R.  H. 


jFinis 


lotoe  letters  of  ^enrp  triii 
to  3nne  IBolepn 


THE  LETTERS  of  Henry  VIII  to 
Anne  Boleyn,  perhaps  the  most  re- 
markable documents  of  the  kind  known 
to  exist,  were  published  at  Oxford  in 
1720  by  Hearne,  in  a  volume  entitled 
Roberti  de  Avesbury  Historia  de  mirabi- 
libus  gestis  Edwardi  III,  and  inserted  in 
the  third  volume  of  the  Harleian  Mis- 
cellany, 1745.  These  two  editions  differ 
considerably  from  each  other,  and  still 
more  so  from  the  transcripts  here  given, 
which  are  taken  from  the  edition  printed 
at  Paris  by  M.  Meon,  who  held  a  situ- 
ation in  the  Manuscript  Department  of 
the  Bibliotheque  de  Roi.  The  fifth  and 
thirteenth,  however,  which  are  not  com- 
prehended in  the  Vatican  collection,  are 
supplied  from  Hearne's  work.  Of  the 
seventeen  letters  of  which  the  series  con- 


jftotes 

sists,  eight  are  written  in   English  and 
nine  in  French. 

They  appear  to  have  been  written 
after  Anne  Boleyn  had  been  sent  away 
from  court,  in  consequence  of  reports 
injurious  to  her  reputation,  which  had 
begun  to  be  publicly  circulated.  Her 
removal  indeed  was  so  abrupt  that  she 
had  resolved  never  to  return.  The  king 
soon  repented  his  harshness,  and  strove 
to  persuade  her  to  come  back;  but  it 
was  a  long  time,  and  not  without  great 
trouble,  before  he  could  induce  her  to 
comply.  Her  retirement  did  not  take 
place  before  the  month  of  May,  1528; 
this  is  proved  by  a  letter  from  Fox, 
Bishop  of  Hereford,  to  Gardiner,  Bishop 
of  Winchester,  dated  the  4th  of  May, 
in  that  year,  in  which  the  writer,  who 
had  just  returned  from  Rome,  whither 
he  had  been  sent  to  negotiate  the  king's 
divorce,  gives  an  account  of  his  landing 

[Ut] 


at  Sandwich  on  the  2nd,  of  his  arrival 
on  the  same  night  at  Greenwich,  where 
the  king  then  was,  and  of  the  order  he 
received  from  him  to  go  to  the  apart- 
ments of  Anne  Boleyn,  which  were  in 
the  Tiltyard,  and  inform  her  how  anx- 
ious he  had  been  to  hasten  the  arrival 
of  the  legate,  and  how  much  he  was  re- 
joiced by  it.  This  letter,  formerly  in  the 
collection  of  Harley,  Earl  of  Oxford,  is 
now  at  Rome. 

It  must  have  been  very  soon  after- 
wards that  Anne  Boleyn  left  the  court. 
In  fact,  in  the  first  letter  (4  of  this  se- 
ries) the  king  excuses  himself  for  being 
under  the  necessity  of  parting  from  her. 
In  the  second  (6)  he  complains  of  the 
dislike  which  she  shows  to  return  to 
court;  but  in  neither  of  them  does  he 
allude  to  the  pestilential  disease  which 
in  that  year  committed  such  ravages  in 
England.  In  the  third  (10),  however,  he 


Botes 

does  advert  to  it  as  a  disorder  which  has 
prevailed  for  some  time,  and  on  which 
he  makes  some  observations. 

Between  this  letter,  probably  written 
in  the  month  of  July,  and  the  sixth  (17), 
in  which  the  king  speaks  of  the  arrival 
of  the  legate  in  Paris,  and  which  must 
have  been  written  about  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember, there  are  two  letters  (i  and  5) 
certainly  written  within  a  few  days  of 
each  other.  In  the  second  of  these  two, 
viz.y  the  fifth  of  this  series,  the  king  ex- 
presses his  extreme  satisfaction  which  he 
has  received  from  the  lady's  answer  to 
his  request.  In  the  effusion  of  his  grati- 
tude, he  pays  a  visit  to  his  mistress,  and 
both  address  a  letter  (8)  to  Cardinal 
Wolsey,  in  which  Henry  manifests  his 
astonishment  at  not  having  yet  heard  of 
the  arrival  of  Campeggio,  the  legate,  in 
Paris.  The  date  of  this  letter  may  thus 
be  fixed  in  the  month  of  September. 

[to] 


The  fourth  (i),  apparently  written  in 
August,  is  the  most  interesting  of  the 
whole  collection,  inasmuch  as  it  fixes  the 
period  of  the  commencement  of  the 
king's  affection  for  Anne  Boleyn.  He 
complains  of  "having  been  above  a  whole 
year  struck  with  the  dart  of  love,"  and 
that  he  is  not  yet  certain  whether  he  shall 
succeed  in  finding  a  place  in  the  heart 
and  affections  of  her  whom  he  loves. 

The  last  letter  (18),  which  makes 
mention  of  the  illness  of  the  legate  as 
the  cause  of  the  delay  in  the  affair  of 
the  divorce,  shows  that  this  correspon- 
dence ended  in  May,  1529,  at  which 
time  the  court  of  legates  was  open  for 
the  final  decision  of  that  point. 

Anne,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Boleyn, 
subsequently  created  Earl  of  Wiltshire, 
after  passing  many  years  at  the  court  of 
Claude,  queen  of  Francis  I  of  France, 
returned  to  England  about  the  end  of  the 


year  1525,  at  the  age  of  eighteen.  Here 
she  was  soon  appointed  maid  of  honour 
to  Queen  Katherine,  and  attracted  the 
particular  attentions  of  Henry  VIII,  who 
was  then  engaged  in  soliciting  a  divorce 
from  the  Pope.  The  marked  preference 
shown  by  the  king  for  Anne  Boleyn 
raised  so  much  jealousy  and  slander  that 
it  was  thought  advisable  by  her  family  to 
remove  the  new  favourite  from  the  court; 
and  it  was  during  this  retirement  at  He- 
ver,  a  seat  of  her  father's  in  Kent,  that 
these  letters  were  addressed  to  her  by  her 
royal  lover.  It  was  no  doubt  to  render 
them  the  more  agreeable  that  he  wrote 
some  of  them  in  French.  They  breathe  a 
fondness  and  an  ardour  which  could 
scarcely  leave  room  to  doubt  the  sincerity 
of  his  love. 

if 

We  have  reprinted  Mr.  Halliwell  Phil- 
lips to  call  attention  to  the  change  in  or- 

[tot] 


der  in  this  edition.  A  very  little  study  of 
the  letters  themselves  showed  that  the 
old  order  was  impossible.  The  first  six 
fall  into  a  group  by  themselves,  the 
6th  being  the  first  to  which  we  gave  a 
nearly  approximate  date  (July,  1527), 
before  Anne's  return  to  court.  Henry's 
passion  must  date  therefore  from  1526. 
The  yth  is  fixed  by  references  in  other 
correspondence  to  February,  1528,  and 
the  8th  to  June  before  she  left  the  court. 
The  pth,  loth  and  nth  relate  to  the 
sweating  sickness  (end  of  June,  order 
fixed  by  incidental  references),  and  the 
1 2th  is  after  July  5th;  the  I3th  and  I4th 
are  before  her  return.  The  reference  to 
his  book  in  No.  15  fixes  the  date  as 
August,  and  No.  16  is  fixed  for  August 
2Oth,  by  Wolsey's  finding  a  lodging  for 
Anne.  No.  17  is  fixed  for  September 
(i6th?)  by  Campeggio's  arrival  at  Paris 
(September  14,  1528),  and  No.  18  by 


his  illness  as  towards  the  end  of  Octo- 
ber.  The  scheme  had  been  partly  worked 
out  when  the  editor  observed  that  Mr. 
Brewer  had  already  arranged  them  in  his 
Calendar  of  State  Papers,  and  to  him 
therefore  this  order  is  due. 

The  old  arrangement  was  4,  6,  10,  i,  5, 
17, 16,  2, 1 1,3, 13,  9, 12, 7, 14, 15, 18,8. 

Page  x.  Henry  Fill  to  Anne  Boleyn. 
Written  July,  1527.  "Aut  illic,  aut  nul- 
libi."  Either  there,  or  nowhere. 

The  signature  means  "H.  seeks  no 
other  (heart).  R." 

xiii.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  This 
letter  was  written  in  July,  1527. 

xvi.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten February,  1528.  "Ultra  posse  non 
est  esse."  One  can't  do  more  than  the 
possible. 

xviii.  Anne  Boleyn  to  Cardinal  Wolsey. 
MS.  Cott.  Vitellius,  B.  xii.  f.  4.  Written 
June  n,  1528.  Printed  by  Ellis  as  from 

[  Mil  ] 


jftote* 

Katherine  of  Arragon.  There  is  another 
letter  from  Anne  to  Wolsey,  thanking 
him  for  a  present.  It  is  very  similar  to 
this,  and  is  found  in  MS.  Cott.  Of  ho.  c. 
x.  f.  218  (printed  in  Burnet,  i,  104,  and 
in  Ellis,  Original  Letters,  vol.  i). 

xxii.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten June  1 6,  1528. 

xxv.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  This 
letter  was  written  June  20.  "It."  The 
sweating  sickness.  This  is  the  1528  epi- 
demic. 

"  Your  brother."  George  Boleyn,  after- 
wards Viscount  Rochford,  executed  1 536 
on  a  charge  of  incest. 

xxviii.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn. 
Written  about  June  22,  1528.  "Welze" 
is  the  same  person  as  "  Welshe  "  on  p.  xxx. 

xxx.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten July  6  (?),  1528.  "Suche"  is  prob- 
ably Zouch. 

"Destain."  Stain. 

[ttr] 


jftotes 

xxxiv.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten July  20,  1528. 

xxxvii.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten July  21,  1528. 

xxxix.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten August,  1528.  "Elengeness."  Lone- 
liness, misery. 

"My  book."  On  the  unlawfulness  of 
his  marriage  with  Katherine. 

xli.  Henry  Fill  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Written 
August  20,  1528. 

xliii.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten September  16,  1528.  Campeggio  ac- 
tually arrived  at  Calais  on  Monday,  Sep- 
tember 14. 

xlv.  Henry  VIII  to  Anne  Boleyn.  Writ- 
ten at  the  end  of  Oftober,  1528. 


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